1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to underwater pressure resistant housings, and in particular, to underwater housings that serve as portable systems for containing and delivering audio media players while scuba diving at depths exceeding atmospheric pressure.
Scuba diving has increased in popularity as a recreational hobby over the decades. Although it is a wonderfully scenic and visual activity, the added feature of audio entertainment in the form of music will greatly increase the pleasure of the activity. Currently, reliable technology does not exist that will allow a scuba diver to have a personal and portable underwater music system while scuba diving at depths exceeding atmospheric pressure.
The emergence of lightweight and diminutive portable audio players such as compact disc, minidisk, and mp3 players have become popular with sports enthusiasts who enjoy listening to music for entertainment while engaging in physical activity and sporting events. Such audio playing devices, however, as currently manufactured are not constructed to withstand being submersed and pressurized by an aquatic environment. Thus these devices cannot be used while scuba diving, which entails submersion and a pressurized environment evoked by the aquatic environment. Prior art describes methods for overcoming the limitations of surface related water activities. However, prior to the development of this invention, people have not been able to reliably, and economically, use portable electronic audio devices while engaging in submersed and pressurized activities such as free diving and scuba diving.
It is the goal of this invention to describe a system for a submersible audio housing system adapted for scuba diving. This unit is designed to function while being submersed because it can maintain a hydrostatic seal against extreme aquatic pressure. This unit will also be able to deliver audio to the users ear canal underwater via such methods as ultrasonic frequency and bone conduction methods by way of analog cables or wireless technology. This unit is portable so each diver can carry and control the unit individually and not infringe on the privacy of other divers. Finally, it is the goal of this invention to describe an apparatus that is easy to use, inexpensive, and can be easily repaired and updated.
2. Prior Art
In order to provide background information so that the invention may be completely understood and appreciated in its proper context, reference is made to a number of prior art patents and publications.
Williams (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,456,377 and 5,533,737) defines a system for enclosing electrical outlet fixtures and serves as a method of weatherproofing power plugs. This concept of enclosing an electrical system is further adapted by enclosing complete electric devices.
Deschamps (U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,180) defines a watertight cabinet for electrical devices and components. This device is constructed from a plurality of mounting plates and is sealed internally with glue. A door is assembled to the frame, which pivots on hinges, and can be closed to make watertight seals. The structure is perforated to form a duct for passage of wiring to the internal components. Further advancements are represented in Molzan (U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,189) which describes a waterproof container. This smaller device is designed for small objects and the container is made of deformable material made to collapse around the internal equipment under environmental pressure. Risko (U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,084) defines a means of enclosing an electronic device using a flexible membrane and a battery access door. These devices are designed to effectively seal equipment containers against water and moisture. However, these structures are not designed for underwater use, especially under circumstances experienced while scuba diving. Advancements have been achieved that further develop the concept for waterproofing a case for electrical devices.
Kamata (U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,894) defines a waterproof casing suitable for housing a camera. The device uses a non-woven air-permeable fabric material to allow airflow for film advancement purpose but not water. Furthermore, other structural deficiencies prohibit this device from being a reliable mechanism for housing an electrical device while experiencing ambient pressure during scuba diving. Johnson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,323) defines a waterproof bag mechanism for housing a camera. This device uses a flexible membrane to house the camera which is clearly designed for environments that are wet, but not invoking environmental pressure (i.e. surfing, kayaking, boat, and other surface related wet activities). In order to deal with the pressure of the environment altering the structure of the housing and crushing the internal components, advancements have been achieved that utilize flexible membranes that have been pressurized internally.
Gell (U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,299) defines a flexible, waterproof container that can be internally pressurized. This device is complex, bulky, costly, and requires peripheral technology to pressurize the unit. In addition, it is highly susceptible to failure because of the high potential for puncture of the flexible membrane, causing the entire compartment to flood and destroy the device. To solve the problem of an expensive and puncture prone pressurized flexible membrane, rigid housing systems have been achieved.
Monterio (U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,343), Wakabayashi (U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,988), Matsumoto (U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,139), and Breslau (U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,144) describe a system using rigid material to house a video camera. Although these devices are suitable for maintaining a seal in a hydrostatic environment, they do not serve the function of a containing an audio electronic device and delivering the music to the users ear canal. The concept of rigid housing was further adapted to house audio components in wet environments.
Delage (U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,590) defines a device that will contain an entire stereo and loudspeaker system. The design is a container with a removable lid that exposes the stereo system. In this way a stereo system can be transported in a wet environment and avoid damage. Clearly, this design in not efficient for a scuba diver but rather for surface related activities that require protecting electronic devices from water. Thus far, a system for containing an audio electronic device has not been clearly described in prior art that can handle the pressurized aquatic environment experienced while scuba diving.
Hofer (U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,806) defines a headset for underwater use. This device is susceptible to easy destruction because of the ability of water and other debris in the medium to flow close to the circuitry. This device is capable of emitting a limited frequency range based on a single bone conduction speaker. The invention described henceforth describes a multiple-speaker system that emits a combined frequency range specific to an underwater environment by compensating for the water dampening effect of specific audio waves, resulting in superior fidelity. The idea is further develop by Rappaport et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,599) by using a headband to contain the speakers and radio system and Kenning et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,667) who describes a swimming training cap with embedded speakers.
Goldfarb (U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,363) defines an amphibious personal audio system for swimmers. A critical failure of the application of this device to scuba diving is that the earphones are inserted into the user""s ears. Furthermore, the speakers are worn as a headband. Such a device will interfere with the strap of a mask, may fall off during a scuba dive, and, may only be worn without a hood because the speakers need to be inserted in the ear canals. Thus, in water temperatures that require hoods for thermal protection of the head, this device would not be functional. In addition, the structural design describes a flexible membrane that cannot withstand hydrostatic pressure. Further advancements have been achieved that utilize flexible membranes to allow for improved aquatic protection and have made it possible for audio devices function while swimming at the surface water level.
Fuller (U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,718) and Olsen (U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,797) defined a flexible membrane housings for a personal stereo and speaker system with conical type earphones which the users inserts into the ear canals to maintain a fidelity. The first concern with the application of these devices to scuba diving is that the design of conical ear plugs is not appropriate for scuba diving because the ambient pressure will force the ear plugs deep into the ear canal causing pain and damage to the ear canal. Secondly, the flexible membrane will compress around the device causing all the buttons to be pressed, and possibly implode the device. Clearly, these designs are meant for activities associated with being at the surface level. These devices are not suited for pressurized environments sustained while scuba diving but rather for surface related activities such as swimming, surfing, boating, and wind surfing. Silverman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,587) also defines a system for submersible headphones that is similarly inadequate for scuba diving. These devices mention forms of earphones that are not suitable for scuba diving because the pressure will push the conical ear plus speakers into the ear canal. Clearly, such designs were meant for activity on the surface of the water allowing for waterproof activity. Furthermore, the architecture and structure of the housings are flexible in nature and not suitable for the pressurized environment encountered while scuba diving.
Peck (U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,176) and May (U.S. Pat. No. 5,889,730) describe underwater communication systems that use head mounted speaker systems connected to underwater transceivers/receivers for audio communication amongst divers. These devices are not described to be coupled with a portable audio entertainment electronic device but rather for voice communication between divers.
Whatever the precise merits, features, and advantages of the above cited references, none of them achieves, or fulfills, the purposes of the present invention.
In view of the vast number of non-submersible consumer electronics which are available for audio entertainment, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a system adapted to receive entertainment or communications devices such as CD players, mp3 players, minidisk players, tape players, laptop computers, portable cellular telephones, or other consumer electronics, whereby these devices may allow a scuba diver to safely enjoy music, while underwater, and protecting the stereo equipment from exposure to a pressured aquatic environment without changing the physical structure. This housing system is capable of being submersed to one, or more, units of absolute pressure while maintaining a hydrostatic seal against the aquatic environment.
It is also the goal of this invention to describe a submersible pressure resistant housing enclosure with arbitrarily located controls that will allow accurate and precise control of any consumer audio electronic device from the exterior, while maintaining a seal against the ambient pressure.
It is also the goal of this invention to provide an audio jack adapter built into the housing while maintaining a hydrostatic seal against one or more units of pressures absolute.
It is also the goal of this invention to describe a means of attaching a mating female audio jack adapter to the housing. The audio mechanism is snapped, and locked, onto the housing to enhance connectivity and fidelity. Audio can therefore be transmitted from the interior of the housing to the ear canals of the user while maintaining a hydrostatic seal against one or more units of pressures absolute.
A further objective is to provide a means of using analog cables with an external volume control to deliver the audio information to the speakers.
A further objective is to provide a means of using wireless transmission to deliver the audio information to the speakers.
A further objective is to describe a hydrodynamic and efficient means of orientating the headphones by attaching them to a mask strap.
It is also the goal of this invention to describe a means of receiving and projecting high fidelity audio sound via a specialized underwater headphones system while maintaining a hydrostatic seal against one or more units of pressures absolute.
A further objective is to provide for other preferred ideas that may arise from this invention.
The first embodiment (xe2x80x9cTYPE Ixe2x80x9d) described in this invention, uses audio cables connected to a strap speaker system.
In a second embodiment described in invention (xe2x80x9cTYPE IIxe2x80x9d), a wireless transmitter is used to send the audio signals to the mask strap speaker system shown in FIGS. 3-4. A third embodiment (xe2x80x9cTYPE IIIxe2x80x9d) is contemplated that describes a wireless transmitter 37 to a bone conduction regulator mouthpiece such as in the device of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,579,284 and 5,706,251.
A fourth embodiment (xe2x80x9cTYPE IVxe2x80x9d) also is contemplated that uses a wireless transmitter 37 to a wrist mounted bone conduction system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,364. It is conceivable to integrate a wireless receiver into the patents of TYPE III and TYPE IV that will then transmit the audio to the ear canals using nerve receptors and bone conduction. While it is not the objective of this patent to create a new and novel component, it is the objective of this patent to identify such integration""s and provide a claim to the idea.